The Sirens' Call

The Sirens Call

Screaming alarms brought the young soldier out of her fitful
sleep. Shrill as a banshee’s cry they scattered the dreams that had dared to
approach her where she sat huddled in her greatcoat. she didn’t bother to move
however, the sirens were nothing new and until the officers started to join them
there was nothing truly urgent near this post.

Only three days at the front and already jaded to the perils
elsewhere along the line. Shae would have shaken her head in disgust were she
not so exhausted. Only three days and already it felt like a lifetime.
Footsteps splashed towards her from the direction of the dugout. Evenly paced
and heavy. Lieutenant Frasch then. She allowed herself a small smile as the big
man rounded the corner, stooping to keep his bald head below the level of the
trench. He was the only man in the unit tall enough to need to hunch over, but
he’d never complained about it within her earshot.

“On your feet corporal, the Captain will be along in a
moment and you know what he’s like about soldiers who sleep on duty.” His gruff
voice held more than a hint of sympathy, but Shae knew better than to push her
luck.

“Sir” was all the response she needed as she climbed out of
the groove she’d been wedged into.

The sirens had faded to their normal keening moan at the
edge of her hearing, allowing the sounds of battle to filter in from somewhere down
the line. The crack of rifles retorted against a backdrop of artillery
explosions. At this distance she couldn’t hear the screams of the dying or the
crackling roar of the fires, but her mind supplied them anyway. “Do we know
what we’re up against this time?”

The Lieutenant shook his head, his thick lips pursed thin. “Enemy
like this, could be anything out there. You’re free to take a peek if you’re curious.”
He gestured to the lip of the trench with the barest twitch of a smile.

Gallows humour, it was all that really survived in a war
like this. It had been going on for so long that Shae couldn’t remember a time
when anyone had spoken about anything else. The front line hadn’t moved in
almost a decade, the enemy attacks were just too devastating.

“No thank you Sir, I’ll just sit here like a good girl and
wait for orders.” She gave him a slightly haggard salute. It was tricky with
her rifle slung under one arm. The weapon might not have caused her so much
trouble if it had been crafted to fit her, but as with everything in the
military stores, it was set to a regulation scale. At just over 5 feet tall,
Shae didn’t quite fit that scale, which lead to baggy uniforms and a weapon
that reached her shoulder when she stood it upright.

At half again her height and a career soldier, the
Lieutenant was an impressive sight. She wagered he likely doubled her mass, but
had never had the guts to ask.

He nodded to her and began to move off down the line, exchanging
words of encouragement with some soldiers and rooting out any others who had
decided that they might actually be able to sleep again before their next
leave. He never shouted, that’s what sergeants were for, but with such an
imposing physique he’d never need to. Only a fool would argue with a man who
could hip-fire a bipod mounted rapid-caster.

Shae turned back to her own caster-rifle and checked it hadn’t
become jammed in the hour since she’d last checked. Nope, the bolt still slid,
the magazine was still loaded and ready to send its supply of spell-laced
ammunition into the face, chest or whatever else she could hit of the next wave
of monstrosities to come shambling, running or leaping towards the Kastinian
lines.

Chapters

Nate_L:
This story is amazing. The style, the description, it all drags you in. The characters are mostly the well known characters from King Arthur. There's Merlin, the sword: Excalibur. I recommend reading this through, at least a little, as it's a very satisfying read. I added it to my reading list af...

Elizabeth Robbins:
4.5 starsAs far as apocalypse stories go, this one took a new direction. I'm glad someone finally addressed the need for a vampire apocalypse! This is sort of a multi-genre festival of delights. With hints of forced societies, vamps, hunters, romance, apocalypse, government conspiracy, and thrill...

Jessie:
I wrote a review on fanfiction but I thought it would be fitting to write on on here too :) This story was honestly stunning. I am a budding writer myself and to read this- to FEEL this- reminded me of why I am honoured to have this passion and drive for a craft that is just so raw and beautiful.

JWalker:
I loved this story from start to finish! It flows at a really nice pace and the story world feels so real. The fight sequences are a treat especially when Isanfyre is training to become a warrior. I found the names really cool and thankfully easy to pronounce. Personally I have always struggled w...

summerstone:
Seriously this is one of the best books I've ever read. The plot is intriguing, I love the narrative style. Its very descriptive and unique, with minimal cliches. It makes for a great read and the sequels are amazing. Totally worth reading. ^^ That's me trying to be professional. But in all hones...

Ben Gauger:
Kudos go to the author of ''Equinox: Into the Clouds'' for originality in character development as well as scene execution and in addition plot development, A truly original story if I do say so myself, though the spelling in and of itself could use a little work, but other than that a truly orig...

ga1984:
I really enjoyed it! Characters were deep and plot was pretty complex. A bit on the violent side but it doesnt detract from the story. Very dark but situations make sense. Ends kinda abruptly and later chapters will need some editing work. I'm assuming there's more in the works?

Hudson:
Your story was fantastic Erin! The Rising Sun was one of the first stories I read on Inkitt, and I have to say I don't regret the three to four days I spent pouring through the story.Probably the biggest strength I see in your writing is your characterisation of Eliana, Oriens, and the rest of th...

ernbelle:
When I first started this story I was a little unsettled by all of the information that appears in the prologue, and wasn't sure if I would continue. However, I am very glad I did. The plot was very well thought out and really interesting. There were not any page breaks or markers to acknowledge ...

MegaRogueLegend666:
I love this story so much. It's impossible to describe my excitement with each new chapter in words. The author has such a good writing style, very good descriptions of the fighting and character descriptions/emotions. the plot is also amazing! This fanfic could be a side anime show or novel ......

Nymeria:
Really can't get enough of this story. It flows well, it captivates the reader from page 1, and throws you into such a well-written, well conceptualized world that you'll believe it's real. Everything in the book is meshed together really well. From character backgrounds to plot twists, you can t...